Abstract: This month’s MJ Studies Today column examines human rights with particular reference to the experiences of Michael Jackson. Drawing on the articles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, columnist Kerry Hennigan notes that fame does not shield individuals from violations of dignity, privacy, and fair treatment, but may instead intensify such vulnerabilities, as happened throughout Jackson’s life.
Column by Kerry Hennigan, editor of the free monthly newsletter A Candle for Michael, administrator of the fan group “Michael Jackson’s Short Film Ghosts” on Facebook, and an MJ blogger on WordPress. Kerry holds Certificates in the Archaeology of the Ancient World and the Archaeology of Ancient Britain from Cambridge University Professional and Continuing Education and is passionate about Viking longships.
REFERENCE AS:
Hennigan, Kerry. “MJ Studies Today CXXIV: Michael Jackson, the United Nations, and Human Rights: An Analogy for Our Time.” (14-04-2026). The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies Vol 12, No. 4 (2026). https://michaeljacksonstudies.org/mj-studies-today-cxxiv/
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Michael Jackson, the United Nations, and Human Rights: An Analogy for Our Time. By Kerry Hennigan
Photo montage © Kerry Hennigan
The world of the early twenty-first century has proven, for many, to be an unforgiving place. War and its aftermath, famine, homelessness, child mortality, and the denial of basic human rights continue to affect populations across the globe. Human rights—those fundamental entitlements belonging to all people—were formally articulated by the United Nations in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on 19 December 1948.
What does this have to do with Michael Jackson? The answer is both simple and complex. For individuals who are “otherised,” particularly those in the public eye, human rights violations can manifest in less visible but equally damaging ways. Jackson’s life, as documented in his own words through interviews and autobiographical material, illustrates how fame does not protect against the erosion of dignity, privacy, and fair treatment. On the contrary, it may intensify such vulnerabilities.
Article 12 of the Declaration of Human Rights states that no one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with their privacy, family, home, or correspondence, nor to attacks upon their honour and reputation. It further asserts that everyone has the right to legal protection against such interference. These principles are especially relevant when considering Jackson’s experience.
Social acceptance is often contingent upon conformity—an adherence to cultural norms that discourages deviation from the status quo. Even within his own family, Michael stood out from an early age due to his extraordinary talent. This distinction brought not only global acclaim but also relentless scrutiny. As his fame grew, so too did public and media intrusion into his private life. Yet visibility should not negate an individual’s right to personal space and dignity. Public figures, including artists who depend on audiences, remain entitled to the full protection of their human rights.
In recent years, the United Nations has faced criticism amid the rise of geopolitical power struggles and ideological extremism. Some international powerbrokers reject multilateral accountability, prioritising their own interests above shared principles. Nevertheless, any decline in the UN’s influence does not invalidate the enduring relevance of its human rights framework. At present, it remains one of the most significant mechanisms for cooperation across national and cultural boundaries.
Michael Jackson’s 1995 song “They Don’t Care About Us,” from the album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, serves as both personal testimony and broader social critique. The song gives voice to the marginalised and reflects Michael’s own experiences as a Black man in twentieth-century America. It also conveys his response to media treatment, legal challenges, and growing public scepticism toward his character.
Public fascination with scandal has contributed to the enduring controversy surrounding Michael’s life and legacy. Media narratives and public opinion played a significant role in shaping perceptions of him. Yet the principle of human rights demands that all individuals—regardless of wealth, status, or public image—are entitled to fairness, dignity, and the presumption of innocence.
Michael Jackson’s experiences highlight a broader issue: the unequal application of empathy and justice. Wealth and fame should neither exempt individuals from accountability nor justify the denial of their rights. While international human rights law does not extend protections posthumously, the ethical question of reputation and legacy remains significant. In some countries, defamation laws allow families to defend the memory of deceased individuals; however, such protections are not universal and do not exist in the United States, where Michael was born, lived most of his life, and where he died.
Ultimately, the lesson drawn from his life is that human rights must be applied consistently and without prejudice. They are not reserved for those who conform, nor for those who are widely admired, but belong equally to all members of the human family. In a world facing environmental degradation, social inequality, and political division, this principle is more urgent than ever.
The planet itself is under increasing strain, with biodiversity loss and habitat destruction accelerating due to human activity. These challenges are largely driven by short-term interests that overlook long-term consequences. In 2013, Irina Feygina, a Congressional Fellow of the American Psychological Association, wrote: “Ideological tendencies in service of the system, including political conservatism, belief in a just world, and free market ideology, contribute toward perpetuating injustice as well as anti-environmental sentiment and behaviour.”[2] The struggle for human rights is thus inseparable from the broader struggle for environmental and social justice.
Artists like Michael Jackson play a vital role in the global struggle for justice and equality in its many manifestations. Through music and visual storytelling, they amplify the voices of those who might otherwise go unheard. Their work can inspire awareness, empathy, and action—qualities essential to the ongoing pursuit of justice.
As Michael himself expressed:
Tell me, what has become of my rights?
Am I invisible ’cause you ignore me?
Your proclamation promised me free liberty, now
I’m tired of being the victim of shame
They’re throwing me in a class with a bad name
I can’t believe this is the land from which I came…[3]
The lyrics of one of Michael’s most powerful songs continue to resonate as a reminder that the protection of human rights is not merely an abstract ideal, but a lived and ongoing responsibility.
Kerry Hennigan
14 April 2026
Sources:
[1] United Nations. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
[2] Feygina, I. “Social Justice and the Human–Environment Relationship: Common Systemic, Ideological, and Psychological Roots and Processes.” Social Justice Research Volume 26, pages 363–381 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-013-0189-8. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
[3] Jackson, Michael. “They Don’t Care About Us.” © 1995 & 1997 Mijac Music, USA, Warner/Chappell Music Ltd, London W1Y 3FA. As published in The Complete Michael Jackson, Faber Music 1997.
Illustration: “…what has become of my rights?” compiled by Kerry Hennigan using a screen shot from the short film “They Don’t Care About Us” (Prison version) directed by Spike Lee. The image has been digitally augmented using PhotoScape X Pro software. No infringement of original photographic copyright is intended in this not for profit, educational exercise.